Bethel water sale spurs opponents

Eileen FitzGerald

Updated 11:55 pm, Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Bethel residents Pam Bujese, left, and John Rondano, participate in a rally protesting the town's proposed sale of the water department to Aquarion Water Company. The rally is held on the grounds on the Bethel Municipal Center, Tuesday, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Billy Michael, left, and Cynthia McCorkindale, speak at a rally protesting the town of Bethel's proposed sale of the water department to Aquarion Water Company. The rally on the grounds of the Bethel Municipal Center Tuesday, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Dianna Medwid of Bethel, Conn., participates in a rally protesting the proposed sale of the town water department to Aquarion Water Company.
The rally is held outside the Bethel Municipal Center Tuesday afternoon, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

From left, Cynthia McCorkindale, Billy Michael and Roger Reynolds, are speakers at a rally protesting Bethel, Conn's plan to sell the water department to Aquarion Water Company. The rally is on the grounds of the Bethel Municipal center Tuesday, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Phil Gallagher, a member of the Bethel Board of Finance, speaks at a rally protesting the town's proposed plan to sell the water department to Aquarion Water Company. The rally was held at the Bethel Municipal center Tuesday, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

William Duff, a member of the board of education, participates in a rally protesting Bethel, Conn's plan to sell the water department to Aquarion Water Company. The rally was held on the grounds of the Bethel Municipal Center Tuesday, July 16, 2013.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

BETHEL -- Control of water rights and town property, potential rate increases fluoridated water were some of the concerns expressed by about 100 residents Tuesday night at a public hearing on the proposed sale of the town water department.

In the afternoon, 25 people and representatives of three environmental advocacy groups appeared at the Hurgin Municipal Center to protest the sale of the water department to Aquarion Water Co.

Town officials and top Aquarion executives repeatedly stressed their reason for the sale: to ensure a continuous supply of water that meets state regulations for the long run to the system's 3,408 customers.

Aquarion owns water systems in 47 Connecticut towns. It would acquire the Bethel water department's assets and infrastructure, including pipes, pumps, and treatment facilities. Aquarion already owns two water companies in town.

Aquarion would assume control of about 370 acres of town land, which includes the reservoirs, but would seek state approval to return all but about 22 acres when new supply wells are in use.

The town proposes to use $2 million from the sale to pay off the water department's debt to the town.

Bethel officials want the sale largely because of the deteriorating infrastructure of the town's water system, the need for more water storage space and increasing state regulations.

"The regulations are getting more and more strict," Don Morrissey, Aquarion's chief financial officer, told the audience at the Hurgin Municipal Center.

"I understand people worrying about giving something up," he said, "but the question in the end is who is in the best position to deliver safe water at the most affordable cost?"

Resident Bill Hillman said he believes the town would be well-served by the company, but he thought voters needed more time to consider the sale.

If the vote fails, he said he hopes the company would reconsider the purchase in the spring.

Town Engineer Andrew Morosky outlined the deficits in the town's water system, which include an "antiquated water treatment plant" and one water source, Chestnut Ridge, likely to fail the state's more rigorous regulations, which take effect in October.

"Overall, we have an aging infrastructure," said Morosky, who worked for Aquarion before being hired by Bethel in 2004.

Morrissey said the state regulates water rates, as well as how much water can be drawn out of the aquifers.

Aquarion proposes to enhance one of the pump stations, expand supplies with new wells and find new storage.

When asked by resident Bob Crnic, Morrissey said Aquarion contributed $2,000 for a postcard sent Tuesday by a Democratic political action committee with information about the proposal, urging voters to support it.

Morrissey said he hoped to clarify misinformation about the sale. Crnic pointed out the contribution was legal.

At the afternoon event, Bethel Action Committee founder Billy Michael assembled about 20 residents who heard three environmental advocacy groups make distinct arguments against the sale.

Michael criticized the procedure of the sale, and resident Cynthia McCorkindale said she didn't think water quality would improve under new ownership.

"This is a bad deal for the environment. It's bad for Bethel and bad for the public," he said.

Margaret Minor, of the Rivers Alliance, wrote in a letter read at the news conference that her group didn't think Aquarion should abandon the reservoirs, which could be a backup water source when the company establishes new wells.

Alex Beauchamp, Northeast region director of Food and Water Watch, said, if privatized, the water company would make its profits with higher water rates and would have to pass on higher borrowing rates to customers than the town would pay for the same money.

"Some things deserve to be in public hands," he said.

J. Philip Gallagher, a member of the Board of Finance who voted against the sale, criticized the Board of Selectmen's lack of public input in negotiations.

He said if the sale passes, it will become an albatross around the neck of Democrats for years to come.